The Dating Game
by D-simplicity
Summary: Starfire is asked about her relationship with Robin and, seeing that they haven't gotten too far, Bumblebee decides to take matters into her own hands.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own the Teen Titans, but that'd be pretty damn cool if I did.  
_

**A/N: **_I'm new at this, so I'm sorry if it isn't all that great.  
_

* * *

The night was young, and the party was just getting started.

There was music blaring throughout the entire tower, and refreshments were scattered all over the common room.

Every honorary Titan was invited to the extravaganza and, surprisingly, most of the people on the guest list came. You would think that the Titans were busy fulfilling their superhero duties, but not tonight. No. Tonight they were just a group of teenagers wanting to have fun.

The tower was so rowdy and cramped that it was a good thing they were secluded on an island, or the JCPD would've definitely put their get-together to a stop.

Robin, Kid Flash, Speedy, Aqualad, and Cyborg were busy in their own corner having a discussion about a 'serious topic'.

"Whatever, I think girls are an important subject. I don't get why they don't teach that kind of thing in school. A class on how to pick up girls would be useful, and not to mention awesome," stated Speedy.

"Girls aren't always everything, you know." Aqualad retorted as he raised an eyebrow.

At hearing this delirious statement, Cyborg scoffed and crossed his arms. "Says _you_!"

"No, I agree. There are other things more important than women." Robin countered, acting nonchalant as he held his empty cup which was recently filled with soda.

Speedy and Cyborg both turned to him with incredulous expressions.

"So... are you saying Starfire's _available_?" Speedy inquired, a glint of hope shining in his eyes as he smiled from ear to ear.

"Uh..."

"_YES_!" Thrusting a fist into the air, Speedy jumped for joy.

"Try _anything_ and I'll kill you." Robin scowled as he violently squeezed his empty plastic cup, not liking his friend's obvious intentions. There was no way in hell he was going to let him think he can take _his_ girl.

It wasn't official or anything, and it's not like they were dating, but everybody knew Starfire wasn't up for grabs. And if anybody wanted to get with her, they'd have to get through Robin first, which of course, nobody wanted to do. Anyone in their right mind would simply walk away from that situation without a second thought knowing that the legendary Boy Wonder would come after you if you tried anything on the bodacious beauty.

"I have to admit, she _is_ pretty cute. You can't blame the guy," added Kid Flash, a smirk forming on his lips. Robin turned to him disbelievingly. "What? I mean, if I were you, I'd ask her out already! Just saying..."

"Listen to me, you." Cyborg shoved an accusing finger in Robin's direction, "Make your move, and do it _soon_. Before somebody else does." Unbeknownst to everybody besides Robin, Cyborg flung a glance at Speedy.

But could he do it? Should he do what he thought was right and officially ask Starfire to be his girlfriend? He wasn't quite sure, and was somewhat hesitant, so he left his mind in an undecided state.

Beast Boy heard the commotion and grew curious about what his allies were talking about, so he set down his plate of half-eaten tofu and began to approach the group of boys.

"I-"

"Hey dudes! Whatcha' guys up to?" He asked, eager to join into their conversation.

"Well, my little green friend, we were just talking about the ladies. Specifically: _Starfire_." Speedy chuckled as Robin narrowed his eyes at him.

"What _about_ her?" Beast Boy looked at him inquisitively.

"She's available, isn't she?"

"Well... I kinda thought her and Robin had a _thing_." He replied, sheepishly peering at Robin.

"Doesn't seem like it to me."

Robin tensed, wanting so much to beat the crap out of Speedy at the moment. Was he crazy? Did he _want_ to get his ass whooped? Because all Robin was hearing was 'Technically she's not yours, so I can do what I want.'

Aqualad had enough of his teammates' shenanigans and decided to intervene.

"Speedy, just drop it. I can tell Robin doesn't want to go any deeper into this subject." Which earned him a look that meant 'thanks, you're a life-saver' from said Boy Wonder.

"_Anyway_... Call of Duty: MW2, anyone?" asked Cyborg.

Robin felt relieved about the shift in topics as a chorus of _'hell yeah'_s from the male population was heard throughout the tower.

"Let's have a quick-scope match with maxed sensitivity and do 360 for the final kill. And no barrets, only use intervention."

"I call the silver controller!" Kid Flash proclaimed, raising his right arm victoriously.

"What? No! It's _my_ PS3, so _I_ get first pick!" Cyborg bellowed, dissatisfied.

Raven rolled her eyes. _'Boys.'_

Once they started playing, there was absolutely no way of getting them back. Call of Duty was like a potent drug for guys. It was astoundingly addicting, and it was easy to get hooked.

"How about some girl talk?" directed Bumblebee. All the girls, with the exception of Raven, enthusiastically raised a hand.

"Yaaaay! Girl talk. I haven't had one of those in _forever_!" Kole exclaimed with an enormous grin, happy to finally be hanging out with a group of girls for a change.

"Ugh. I know how you feel," Jinx solely agreed.

Argent smiled at the girls. It was surprisingly comforting to be with a group of friends. Everybody was nice, and unique in their own special way.

"Is there somewhere more private we can go?"

"If you wish, we may go to my sleeping quarters," Starfire offered, wanting nothing more than to begin the discussion. It had been a while since she had a girls-only talk.

"That's perfect! Let's go, ladies." Bumblebee was craving to get started as well.

Raven groaned, reluctant to follow. She wasn't much of a girly girl, so it wasn't a surprise when she remained standing where she was, unwilling to leave the common room.

Starfire noticed her qualm and decided to say something. "Friend Raven, do you not wish to partake in the 'girl talk'?"

"No."

"Oh, but it would be most enjoyable! I do the promising to you. Please, I do not wish to exclude you."

"..."

Taking that as a silent acceptance, Starfire grabbed her hand firmly. "Come, friend!" To Raven, however, it felt like her hand was being crushed by a cement roller.

"Agh, fine!" She yelped as she snatched her hand away from Starfire's unintentional death grip.

Grinning triumphantly, Starfire began leading the way to her room.


	2. Chapter 2

"What now?"

Bumblebee lounged on the bed as Kole and Argent lay down beside her. Starfire was levitating, cross-legged, next to them. Jinx rested on a chair, her right leg over her left as she held her left fist into her right hand which was placed on her lap. Raven leaned on the doorway, but soon decided to come into the room. She sighed in defeat as she sat herself on Starfire's bar stool off to the side, keeping a little distance from the other girls.

"Hmm..." Kole trailed off, unsure of what to say. "Oh, I know! Let's talk about _boys_."

"Boys?" Starfire was apprehensive. Seriously? _Boys? _She wasn't sure if she was comfortable with the subject, though she only had one certain someone in mind.

Raven shrunk, not wanting to get involved in the conversation.

"Great idea," commented Bumblebee. "Let's start with _you_, Kole. Who do you like?" She threw the short, pink haired girl a sly wink.

"I... I like... uhh..."

"C'mon, you can tell us!" Jinx prompted, equally as curious as everybody in the room.

"Jericho..."

Bumblebee shrieked in excitement. "I knew it!"

Kole eyed her skeptically as her face flushed bright red.

"That's cute!" Jinx exclaimed.

Argent was a little surprised to find that Kole had a crush on Jericho, but she still wanted to encourage her friend. "You never know, but he might like you back. You should really tell him how you feel."

Kole shrugged and decided to give somebody else the limelight. "What about you, Starfire? How are you and _Robin_?"

"We are-" She stopped herself, contemplating on what to say next. They weren't dating, but they might as well have been. She thought for another moment. If she said they were together and someone questioned him about it, he would probably be angry with her for lying, so she decided on, "the friends."

"You can't be serious!" Bumblebee, as well as the other girls, save for Raven, was baffled. "You guys are like the perfect couple!"

"But we are not..."

"Do you want to be?"

"Truthfully? Yes..."

At hearing this, Bumblebee established a devious grin, scaring the crap out of Raven, which was virtually close to impossible.

"Y'know what, girl? I know this really great _game_. Do you wanna know how to play?"

"What manner of game is this of which you speak?" Starfire scrutinized her friend suspiciously.

"It's a game that helps you get the guy you like. Want me to teach you?" She let a smile touch her lips as she began putting together the 'rules' in her head.

At first, Starfire was unsure of how to react. She wanted to be with Robin, that was for sure. But what if this 'game' didn't work? What then? Well, there was only one way to find out. It was worth a shot, right? She finally decided to take her chances and learn the basics to this 'game'.

Starfire slowly nodded. "Please, continue."

"Hold on, Starfire. Are you sure about this?" Raven wasn't convinced, and she didn't want her friend to end up getting hurt.

"It is worth the try..."

Shrugging, she decided to let it go. "If you say so."

Bumblebee continued as her audience prepared to listen intently on what she had to offer.

"Okay, so this whole thing is called The Dating Game. There's one thing you've got to know before you start, and it's the type of attraction you're feeling for the guy." She stopped, looking over her crowd for a brief moment, then continued.

"A romantic attraction _(when the person wants a romantic relationship)_, a crush _(a type of romantic attraction that is usually temporary, and most of the time isn't acted upon)_, or a sexual attraction _(when the person wants sexual contact)_. For you, Starfire, it's a romantic attraction. Trust me, I can tell." She paused again, her smirk expanding.

Jinx raised her hand, a question forming in her mind.

"What?"

"How do you know it's not just a crush?"

Kole and Argent turned to look at each other. "Yeah," they both agreed.

"Well, first of all, I can see it in their eyes. Have you seen the way they make googly eyes at each other? I mean, c'mon, it's hard to miss. The way he looks at her like she's the only woman in the entire universe that could make him feel the way I'm definitely sure he does is just... Believe me, I can tell when love is involved."

"What? How?"

"Because... I know what it's like to be in love." Bumblebee smiled fondly to herself.

All this talk about love was beginning to bother Raven. Love? _Psh._ Yeah, right. Hell would have to freeze over before she would even consider acknowledging _him _in that way. Wait... What? She was getting frustrated. Why was she suddenly thinking about _him_?

Kole batted her eyes dreamily as she grinned, "That's so romantic. Who's the lucky guy?"

"Oh, you'll see." At this point, Bumblebee was grinning broadly as Argent stared off into space, deep in thought. This, of course, didn't go unnoticed by Kole.

"Wait a minute, Argent? I forgot to ask, but... Do you like Hotspot? I kinda saw you, y'know, looking at him in _that_ kind of way."

Argent stiffened, then shifted uncomfortably. "H-how did you...?"

Kole giggled as Jinx burst out into laughter. The look on Argent's face was a mixture of surprise and horror, and it was pretty hilarious.

"Oh, you got her _good_," Jinx declared, still laughing, as she smacked her knee with the palm of her hand.

Bumblebee cleared her throat._ "Ahem."_

"Go on," Raven deadpanned. _  
_

"As I was saying, it's a romantic attraction. The next step is to_ get his attention_. Now, there are lots of different ways you can approach this, but the main idea is to let him know that you've got the hots for him. Be subtle. Dress up a little, but not too extreme. It just has to be something that'll make him stop what ever it is he's doing and avert every ounce of his attention towards _you_. After you've got him on lock, you flirt with him. A lot. If he doesn't ask you out, then _you_ ask _him_ out on a date. Don't worry, sometimes guys like it when the girl makes the first move. Most of the time, they're too shy or afraid that you'll reject them or something, so just be confident. And if he says no, then pretend you don't care and make him jealous by 'moving on' to another guy, but not literally. You get me?"

"Yes," Starfire nodded in comprehension. "When shall I begin?"

"Now. You've got something nice to wear, don't you?"

"I have a dress that was purchased roughly a month ago. Until now, I had no valid reason to wear it."

"Honey, put it on. We'll work our magic on you and, before you know it, you'll be _girlfriend material_."

Starfire hesitantly walked to her closet, pulled out the dress, and advanced to the bathroom in her room.

The girls waited for her to finish, occupying themselves with light conversation.

She finally exited the bathroom. At hearing the door shut, the Titan girls looked up at Starfire, and immediately fell in awe. She was _beautiful_. In less than ten minutes, she went from Simple Starfire to Vivacious Vixen, and all she did was change into that little purple dress.

Starfire considered her friends with worried eyes, "Have I done something incorrectly?"


	3. Chapter 3

"_Bang,_ headshot!" Kid Flash spun his controller in his hand, then proceeded to do a victory dance.

Speedy chucked his controller at the ground, significantly cracking the exterior. "DAMN YOU!" he shot back.

Cyborg glared at him disdainfully. "You owe me a new one of those."

"Have you ever gotten a collateral before?" Hotspot casually asked Robin as their fellow Titans began bickering.

"Yeah. It's not really all that hard."

"That's awesome, man. I can never get one of those." Killowat added.

"Which sniper rifle do you usually use?" Asked Beast Boy, wanting to get into the conversation once again.

"I use the barret. It's so much easier."

"Yo, that's unfair if you're going against someone using intervention." Herald joined in. "Reloading is so much faster on that thing."

"I know, that's why I use it."

"I'm not sure why, but I like-" Robin lost his train of thought as Starfire walked into the common room.

She was clad in an alluring lavender dress which was cut in a short silhouette that hugged her body perfectly, and wore adorable white flats. The sweetheart neckline allowed the silver star shaped pendant she adorned to shine brilliantly. Her face was make-up free, her scarlet hair was slightly curled as it cascaded down her back, and her bangs were held side-swept with a pin.

"S-star...?" Robin stuttered, his eyes growing wide as he began to blush profusely. He swallowed an audible gulp. Was it just him, or did the room suddenly feel 100 times hotter?

Jericho looked up from playing his guitar and beamed as he offered her a thumbs up.

"Mother of-"

Kid Flash let out a whistle of approval. "Nice legs. I'm lovin' the tan."

"Oh, fuck..."

Cyborg and Beast Boy both stared for a minute, astounded by Starfire's getup, then turned to each other with sly grins.

"Is that..."

"Son of a-"

"Somebody pinch me."

Speedy fainted, blood gushing from his nose. Every boy in the common room, _especially_ Robin and aside from Cyborg and Beast Boy, was enchanted by her lovely spell. The beautiful Tamaranean girl could be compared to Aphrodite herself, and win.

"Hello, Robin." She gave him an innocent, yet seductive in _his_ point of view, smile.

"H-hi..." Robin cleared his throat, but he couldn't stop the intense blush from amplifying throughout his features. He shifted uncomfortably, desperate to hide his flushed face.

She giggled behind the back of her hand, then studied the Boy Wonder.

"You look-" he wanted so much to tell her she was beautiful, stunning, lovely, charming, and drop-dead gorgeous. However, his nerves got the better of him. "Nice."

"Thank you." She casually approached him, and when she was only 3 inches away, pulled him in for a hug.

Robin awkwardly wrapped his arms around her in return, and breathed in her enticing aroma. He noticed that she smelled like fresh strawberries, and he inwardly smile.

"So what's the occasion?"

"I merely wished to do the dressing up for you." She grinned at him sweetly.

Catcalls were heard, and the two began to feel like deer in the headlights because of the crowd surrounding them. Herald had his arm wrapped around Bumblebee's waist, Cyborg and Beast Boy both wore amused smirks, Speedy hunched his back and had a dejected expression on his face as Aqualad rested his elbow on his shoulder. The rest of the Titans just ogled at the pair.

"Do you, uhh..."

She saved him the embarrassment and cut him off. "Would you like to journey to the roof with me?"

He nodded as he smiled at her sheepishly. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Starfire grasped his hand and led him away from the group. They continued to watch as the duo went on their way, Robin stumbling behind Starfire's graceful strides. They were weaving through the hallways of the tower when Robin's hand began sweating extensively, and he prayed Starfire wouldn't judge him about it. Thankfully, she didn't. He knew she felt his hand dampen, but she continued to act like it was nothing, which comforted him. Once they were alone on the rooftop and away from the cluster of Titans, Robin immediately wiped away his sweat, then took her hand.

"You didn't have to dress up for me, Star. I already _know_ you're beautiful." This time, it was her turn to blush.

He tucked away a stray lock of her hair behind her ear as she smiled up at him. "Thank you."

Robin cleared his throat. Though he already knew she was gorgeous, after seeing her in that dress, his mind was made up. He was going to ask her to be his girlfriend, and he was going to do it properly.

But not here. Not now. Not while the Tower was filled with a bunch of their meddlesome friends dying to squirm themselves into their business. He decided that he would ask her out on a date, just the two of them. That's when he'd toss her the long awaited question.

"So, Star..." he began. "I was just wondering, but do you maybe wanna go out on a date with me tomorrow night?" He was afraid that she would reject him, but her elated smile reassured him otherwise.

"I would be most honored." Robin felt extremely relieved.

He slightly bowed as he offered her his hand. She placed hers on top of his, and he tenderly kissed it.

"We should head back."

"Yes."

The moment they walked through the common room door, they were met with their friends, who were enthusiastically congratulating them.


	4. Chapter 4

Apparently, Cyborg had activated the security cameras on the roof of Titan's Tower, so their fond moment had been displayed for the assembled Titans.

Starfire was hastily ripped away from Robin by an exuberant crowd of girls with Bumblebee at the lead. As she was being hauled back to her room, she glanced at Robin and saw that he was being swarmed by the remaining Titans.

When they finally made it back to their hide-out, Starfire was attacked with a volley of questions.

"Are you guys finally _together_?"

"What did he say? He was such a gentleman!"

"I can't believe he kissed your hand like that! Pretty old school, if you ask me."

"Girl, tell us _everything_!"

Before beginning her explanation, Starfire took a deep breath to calm herself. She was feeling rather overwhelmed with her friends interrogating her the way they did. She anxiously perused her comrades, trying to figure out what to tell them.

"Uhh-"

Bumblebee studied her, looking her up and down, which only served to increase her level of nervousness. Starfire was somewhat apprehensive, and she felt guilty for making her feel that way.

"Alright. Calm down, everyone." Bumblebee instructed, lifting her palms at the group of overexcited teenagers, wanting to give Starfire a few minutes to compose herself.

Kole turned to Argent and whispered, "I think you should ask Hotspot on a date." She smiled. "That would be cute."

"I... Okay. But only if you ask Jericho!"

"It's a deal!" The two girls beamed at each other as Raven rolled her eyes.

Jinx noticed the empath seemed to be a little despondent. "What's the matter? Beast Boy do something stupid again?"

Raven looked at her, rattled by her query. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, you seem pretty down."

"Why did you ask about Beast Boy?"

Jinx raised an eyebrow. "I thought you guys were together."

"What the hell gave you that crazy idea?"

"Don't think I didn't see how you were looking at him in there," she smirked. "I can totally tell you like him."

Raven grimaced with a slight blush. "I do _not_ like Beast Boy."

"Sure. Whatever you say."

Starfire finally recovered from her daze and spoke, "No. We are not the together, but he has asked that I join him on the date tomorrow night." She grinned at her friends bashfully, wringing her fingers together.

Bumblebee squealed dramatically, as did the other girls, except Raven, who only offered her tiny smile.

"I wish you the best of luck," Jinx offered the Tamaranean beauty.

_Meanwhile..._

"Why didn't you kiss her on the lips?" Kid Flash beckoned as he crossed his arms at the Boy Wonder.

"Yeah!" Beast Boy agreed. "She would've gone for it! You totally had her in the palm of your ha- _ouch!_"

Cyborg thumped the green changeling on the back of the head. "Quit making Starfire sound desperate."

Pushing his friends out of the way, Robin started toward the kitchen. "I need some water."

"Awh, c'mon! Give us the deets." Killowat prompted as he and the rest of the Titans followed the Boy Wonder.

"The audio wasn't working, so you've gotta spill."

Robin rolled his eyes, slightly agitated. "If I talk, will you finally drop the subject?"

Everyone agreed in unison.

"Fine." He took a sip of his refreshingly cold glass of water. Sighing heavily, he mustered up the patience to deal with his brazen flock of friends. "I asked her out on a date, and she said yes. Now, leave me alone."

"Sweet."

"High five, man!" Kid Flash raised a hand for Robin to smack, but when he was given no response, "Or not."

"You lucky son of a b-."

"I wish I were you right now..."

The Titans all turned to Speedy. "What?" Robin blinked.

"Huh? What? I didn't say anything? Did you hear me say something? Cause I didn't say anything, if that's what you're thinking..." Speedy was acting somewhat suspicious, but Robin figured it was nothing and decided to let it slide.

"Look, guys. I told you what happened, so can we discuss something else?"

"Sure, let's talk about BB." Cyborg grinned at Beast Boy mischievously.

"Dude, no! We're talking about Ro-"

Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted. "I said _drop it_."

Aqualad scrutinized Beast Boy suspiciously. "Tell me, Beast Boy. Do you like _Raven_?"

"Say what now?" The shape-shifter was caught off guard.

"You heard me."

"You think I _like_ her?"

"Don't you?"

"W-why would you think s-something like that?"

"Well, for starters, you're blushing. And another factor is that you're beginning to stutter."

"I... well..."

Cyborg chuckled at his distraught friend. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"_What?_"

"You like her."

Herald cocked an eyebrow as Hotspot erupted in laughter. Killowat bit back a snicker. Jericho smiled widely at Beast Boy, as if telling him he supported him.

"Do not! No way! You guys are insane!"

"Right. Why are you getting all defensive?"

"I..."

"That's what we thought." Robin smirked, knowing that they'd just verbally beaten Beast Boy's secret right out of him.

Robin glanced at the clock, saw that it was almost 3 o'clock in the morning, and concluded that it was about time to end the party.

"Alright guys, show's over."


	5. Chapter 5

Robin was extremely exhausted. He'd been planning for the upcoming date all night, making a last-minute reservation to a fancy restaurant, ordering exotic flowers online, and searching for the proper attire to wear. He wanted to impress her, and he wanted everything to go smoothly.

The door to his room slid open, and Cyborg lumbered in.

"You still up? It's already 6 in the morning, man. You're not gonna enjoy your date if you don't get any sleep."

Robin grumbled and rubbed his eyes, not wanting to retire for the night. He had yet to finish his preparations.

"But-"

"I don't wanna hear it. What's Star gonna think when she finds out that she has to deal with _you_ in a cranky mood, hm?"

"Okay." He sighed. "But you're gonna do a little something for me."

Cyborg crossed his arms as he raised an eyebrow at the Boy Wonder. Without a doubt, this couldn't be good. "Such as?"

"I want you to pick up the bouquet of red Amaryllis and green Carnations I ordered for Star. And I'm gonna need you to iron my dress shirt for me," he paused. "Oh yeah, one more thing. Don't forget to shine my shoes. It's been awhile, so they're a little dull."

"Wait-"

"Thanks, Cy." With that being said, Robin shoved Cyborg out of his room before he could be denied.

He exhaled as he sat on the edge of his bed, cradling his head in his hands. Thoughts of _her_ kept plaguing his thoughts. He wasn't sure he'd even be able to get any sleep if things continued the way they did.

But then he remembered her smile. It was so peaceful, so consoling. And he slowly plunged into a deep slumber, with Starfire at the center of his dreams.

In the meantime, Starfre was already sound asleep when Robin began to doze off.

Before their get-together was put to an end, Bumblebee had given Starfire and the other girls another lecture about The Dating Game, where she learned proper etiquette for her date. It was a lot to take in, considering she had never done something like this before.

Starfare already knew what she was going to wear to the date, and hoped that Robin would approve of her decision. The girls had told her it was great, and that Robin would definitely love it, but she was still having second thoughts due to her little insecurities.

She lay on her bed, hugging her pillow tightly. Before she fell asleep, she'd imagined it was Robin, wishing that he was right beside her.

Not being able to help herself, Starfire kept holding on to the simple fact that they would be going on a date later that night. She'd waited so long for him to ask her, and he finally did.

Just like Robin, she wanted everything to be perfect.

Soon, sunrise began to approach as beams of light swept throughout the city and Titan's Tower.

Stretching as she rose from her sleep, Starfire heaved an alleviated sigh.

"Mmm."

She glanced at her alarm clock, which read _'11:00 AM'_. After an audible gasp and a look of panic, she hopped out of bed and bolted for the bathroom, taking a change of clothes with her.

When she was finished, she wore the towel on her head and walked into the common room. Raven and Beast Boy were the only Titans present, and there seemed to be conspicuous tension between them.

The two had been awkwardly sitting beside each other on the sofa, both wearing restless expressions. Starfire shied away, not wanting to get involved in their situation. What ever it was, she was certain they could work it out by themselves.

She began to wonder what her other friends were doing, when Cyborg meandered through the entrance. He was carting a white box on one arm, a folded dress shirt in a clear wrapping and a shiny pair of dress shoes on top, while retaining a cell phone with the opposite hand.

"Yeah, I was just calling to make sure the reservations are still set for this evening." There was a slight pause as the other person on the line replied. "Alright. Thanks." After hanging up, he realized Starfire had been observing him as he conversed on the phone.

"Morning, Star. What's up?"

"May I inquire who it was you had been speaking to?"

"It's... Don't worry about it." He smiled as he placed his cargo on the table. "At least, not yet."

Starfire scrunched her brows together, thrown off by his statement.

"So, are you excited for your date? I know Bird Boy can't chill out long enough to get his mind off of it."

Mildly blushing, she responded. "Yes. I am most thrilled to begin with the date," she grinned at him lustrously.

"You might wanna," he motioned to his head, but she was only confused by his gesture. "Your hair... there's a towel."

She giggled nervously as she removed the cloth. "I have not yet prepared."

"Oh. D'you know what you're gonna wear?"

"Yes, of course."

"Alrighty, just making sure."

After her little consultation with Cyborg, Starfire sauntered back to her room, pumped up for the evening's upcoming events.


	6. Chapter 6

_Knock _

_Knock _

_Knock_

"One moment, please!" Starfire called from inside her room.

Robin patiently waited outside of her door, constantly adjusting his tie. Seeing that it kept wandering out of place, he began to feel rather irritated. Nevertheless, he was still glad that after a long day of stressing, the moment had finally arrived.

He wore a red dress shirt, enriched with a black tie. His dress pants were a light shade of obsidian, and his shoes withheld a new gloss. He tightly clasped the bouquet of extraordinary flowers behind his back.

After a few minutes of floundering in her room, Starfire opened the door. The moment he laid eyes on her, Robin's breath hitched.

Her burgundy hair was fashioned in a slightly messy waterfall braid, which coiled at the tips. Again, she wore no make-up. Her curvy figure was accented by the shapely lilac cardigan she wore over a white camisole. Her jean shorts were help up by a braided brown belt, and her feet were adorned with black flats.

The Tamaranean girl's apparel was amazingly simple, but to Robin, she was the most alluring woman he had seen in his entire life.

"Very cute," he gifted her with a lopsided grin.

She returned the gesture. "I do believe you are the most adorable human I have set eyes upon as of yet."

All Robin could do was stare at her, then he finally remembered the flowers behind his back. "Oh! I almost forgot. I got these for you," he smiled as he presented her the bouquet.

"I thank you, Robin. It is most beautiful."

He smiled at her, dazed. "Not as beautiful as you."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Ahh-" he spluttered. "I-I didn't s-say anything..."

She giggled as she turned for the kitchen, "I shall put this in some water."

"Alright." Robin let out a breath of relief. "_Phew_."

When she returned, Robin held out his elbow for her to seize. "Shall we?"

"Yes," she slipped her arm through his.

They made it to the garage, arms linked, and Robin flipped the light switch. As the contents in the room grew more distinguishable, Starfire noted that aside from the T-car and the R-cycle, there was another vehicle present. It was a polished, black and garnet motorcycle. She stared at it curiously.

"Do you like it?" he asked. "It's my new bike. I've been meaning to get one of these babies for a long time now."

"What is it?"

"It's a motorcycle, like the R-cycle, except this one's a Kawasaki Ninja 250R." He grinned proudly.

"It looks," she paused for a moment to scrutinize it, "most versatile."

"Damn right it is!"

Starfire giggle as Robin climbed onto the bike. She followed suite, and lightly wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Hold on tight," he warned. She did as she was told, and then they were off.

The city lights flashed as the dynamic duo sped off toward their destination, _Délicieux_.

As she admired the sights surrounding her, Starfire's grip around Robin's abdomen grew more firm. She sighed dreamily as she rested her cheek against his back, and remained in wonder.

Robin shivered at the contact, cherishing their moment of proximity. He loved the feeling she unwittingly bestowed upon him. It felt great, and he reveled in it.

"Are you alright, Star?"

It took a couple of minutes before she reacted. "Hmm?"

He chuckled. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, of course. Why do you ask?"

"You're kinda... Nevermind, it's nothing." He smiled as she repositioned herself on his back.

They soon arrived at the restaurant, and Robin led her into the building.

"Ahh, Robin and Starfire," the maitre d' beamed at the couple. "Your table awaits."

"Thanks," Robin responded as Starfire grinned. He then proceeded to intertwine his fingers with hers, and led the way to their designated table.

They sat near the window and had a clear view of the stars in the darkened sky. Once they were seated, they were each handed a menu. The waiter left, and the two were finally alone.

"Do you see anything you like?"

She looked up from her browsing and smiled up at him. "Yes."

"What would you like?"

"Um..."

"What is it?"

"I-," she hesitated. "What was it you were doing the speaking of?"

"I asked if you've found something on the menu that you wanted."

"Oh."

"What did you think I was talking about?"

"It is irrelevant." Robin lavished her with _'the look'_. "That cannot work on me," she lied.

"Aw c'mon, Star."

The waiter, a red-headed boy who looked to be about the same height as Robin, approached them. He inconspicuously glowered at the two.

"May I take your order?" He deadpanned as he held his pen and notepad.

Robin averted his attention to the boy standing before them. "We're not ready yet."

"Whatever," he muttered as he walked away, eyeing Starfire before he was completely out of sight. She noticed he was ogling her, which caused her to shift uneasily.

"Did _he_ just-" Robin whipped around his upper torso, glaring at the boy as he reentered the kitchen. He could put up with his attitude, but there was no way in hell was he going to allow some random ass dude to look at _his_ girl in a way that made her uncomfortable.

"Please do the letting of it go, Robin."

"But-"

"I do not wish for you to get involved in a fight."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, Star. You're right."

Starfire grinned at him, took his hands into hers, and leaned towards the Boy Wonder.

"This night is _ours_," she whispered. "Please do not allow minor hindrances to do the taking of that away."

Returning her smile, he replied. "Okay. I'm sorry."

She released him and picked up her menu, looking over the choices. "I believe I would like to do the trying of the medium rare steak."

"Mmm. Sounds good. I'll get that, too."

In that moment, the waiter returned. "You two ready yet?" He snarled.

Robin grimaced, "What's your problem?"

"None of your business."

"Whatever, man. Anyways, we'll have two medium rare steaks."

"Anything e-"

"That will be all. Thank you."

The red-headed boy scoffed and muttered something under his breath as he departed.

"The nerve of that guy," Robin scowled in the boy's direction.

Starfire giggled at his petulance. "Do not allow him to ruin our evening, Robin. Let it go."

He huffed, giving in to Starfire's persuasion. "Fine."

The food soon arrived, and they ate in comfortable silence. Eye contact was a constant factor amongst the two Titans.

"Do you like it?" Robin asked as he gazed into her deep, emerald eyes.

Steak was something she'd never tried before, and she very much enjoyed it. "Most definitely."

He beamed at her, "I'm glad."

Once again, the waiter approach them. Instead of carefully handing them their refreshments, he slipped, encompassing the Tamaranean girl with all of its contents.


	7. Chapter 7

One moment, Starfire and Robin had been happily engaged in small conversation. The next, she was completely soaked in icy water. The waiter stood there, smirking at Robin.

Seeing the smug expression on his face, Robin surged out of his seat. "You son of a-" Not being able to finish his sentence due to his state of animosity, he lunged or the boy.

Before contact between the red-headed boy and Robin was made, Starfire quickly wrapped her arms around the Boy Wonder's waist, pulling him closer to her cold, shivering body.

"Robin..." she breathed, regarding him with pleading eyes.

He swiftly turned around, returning his attention to his disoriented date, and grasped onto her shoulders. "Are you alright?"

Starfire nodded sheepishly, then glanced at her saturated clothing. "I believe so."

If he had brought a jacket, he would've gladly given it to her. However, he was jacketless, so he removed his dress shirt and carefully placed it around her shoulders, buttoning the top buttons. Glad that he had worn a tank top under his shirt, or he would've had to have gone about his situation shirtless, he glowered at the waiter. _"You," _he snarled menacingly.

The red-headed boy remained unmoving, gawking at the Tamaranean girl with a satisfied smirk. "I totally saw through her cardigan."

Starfire gasped as she crossed her arms over her chest in a futile attempt to further protect herself from prying eyes.

_"GAHH!"_ Once again, the Boy Wonder charged for the boy.

This time, Starfire wasn't there to stop him, so he viciously tackled the nefarious waiter. His fists made contact as he straddled him, bombarding his face with a storm of fatal punches.

"_Ah-_ get off! Please, it hurts!"

Everything audible was blocked out by Robin's temper. He could no longer hear his pleas, but even if he could, he wouldn't have acknowledged them.

Screams of horror circumnavigated throughout the restaurant. Everyone watched the fight unraveling before them, observing, but refused to get involved to break it up.

"Robin, I'm sorry!" Again, he was ignored as his face continued to take a beating. He attempted to push him off, but in doing so, only added to the Boy Wonder's rage. The assault magnified, growing ten times worse than it initially had begun.

"Stop! It's me! Sp-" He was interrupted with another hook to the jaw. "Speedy!"

Robin's eyes widened in bewilderment as he launched one final jab to his face. "What did you say?"

"I'm _Speedy_, dammit!" After being released, he got up and stepped back as the Boy Wonder ascended from his position.

"Motherfu-" Robin stopped himself from cussing out his so-called friend. "How could you do this to me?" he gestured to a shivering Starfire, "To _her_?"

"I couldn't help myself! My uncle called me, telling me about your reservation, so I asked if I could volunteer for the night..."

"To do what? _Sabotage_ my date?"

The archer cast his eyes to the floor in shame. "I'm sorry."

Robin's glare slightly softened as he made his way towards his companion, enclosing his arms protectively around her shuddering figure. "Just tell me why you did it."

Speedy was silent for a moment, then spoke in a hushed tone. "I like her too, okay..." This revelation caught Robin's attention like an incoming freight train.

"I-"

"I don't need your pity."

Sighing, the Boy Wonder raised an eyebrow at his fellow Titan. "Who ever said I pitied you? I don't. I'm angry, yes, but I don't feel sorry for you."

"..."

"If you ever pull something like this again, I wouldn't hesitate to beat the living daylights out of you. Kinda like how I did just now."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind..."

Starfire looked at Robin appreciatively. She was grateful that he was there for her when she needed him most, to protect her from things she didn't want to go through alone. The looks she received from Speedy and the bystanders made her uncomfortable and very self-conscious, but Robin gave her a feeling of security. She began to hope that he'd always be there for her, through thick and thin, and through whatever.

"Let's go, Star." He released her from the hug and reached for her hand, holding it tightly. "Let's get you home."

She nodded, glanced at the seriously maimed archer, then looked back at her date. Hugging his dress shirt tighter around herself with her free arm, she was led back to the motorcycle by an irritated Robin.

"You are the okay, yes?" she questioned, analyzing him earnestly as he released her and looked away.

He sighed heavily, "No, Star. I'm not."

"May I inquire as to why?" Robin turned to face her, eye to eye, and grasped both of her hands into his.

"I wanted this night to be _perfect_." His claim caused her to giggle, and his expression transformed from melancholy to utter confusion in a matter of seconds.

"It _is_ perfect, Robin."

"Huh? But-"

"It matters not that we were rudely interrupted by a jealous Speedy. We were able to do the 'bonding', yes?"

He pondered that for a moment. "I guess so..."

"Then tonight has been one of the best nights we have shared together."

"But he-" Tired of seeing the trouble and distemper in his eyes, she kissed him, weaving her arms firmly around his neck.

Many emotions were bustling throughout his thoughts. First, he was dazed, having the girl of his dreams come at him like that. Then, he was dumbfounded, not knowing how to react to her instantaneous course of action. And finally, he felt ecstatic. Starfire _kissed_ him, and she was the one to make the first move! This gave him a feeling of relief, having felt a ton of weight lifted off of his shoulders.

He then realized that he wasn't moving, having been stunned to the very core. So he tightly wrapped his arms around her, and deepened their sweet, breathtaking kiss.


	8. Chapter 8

Robin couldn't help but notice how perfectly Starfire fit into his arms. It felt right, like that was exactly where she belonged. In his arms. And honestly, he didn't mind holding her like that until the end of time. To his dismay, she slowly pulled away, licking her lips as her eyes fluttered open.

"That was..." he began, immediately losing his words as the lovely Tamaranean beauty looked up at him.

"Glorious," Starfire finished, beaming at him with more brilliance than the sun could ever hope to generate.

"It was better than that."

She giggled, causing his knees to grow weaker. He found her laugh to be _very_ intoxicating. To Robin, it was like listening to his favorite song. He couldn't get enough of it. Smiling at her, he cupped her cheek and began to stroke it with his thumb.

"Thank you for coming with me today." Starfire grinned.

"No, Robin. Thank _you_." After a quick peck, she got on the motorcycle and patted the space in front of her, signalling him to join her.

He remained stuck where he stood, like a statue, as he softly touched his lips. Starfire called his name, snapping him out of his trance. "Be right there!" he replied, grinning widely as he followed suit.

Robin revved the bike, then looked back and winked at his alluring date, "Hold on tight." She playfully rolled her eyes as she proceeded to comply.

They soon arrived at the Tower. After neatly parking his motorcycle, Robin stood up, but realized that Starfire still had him in a fixed hug. He could feel her head resting on his shoulders, her breathing steady. Without looking back, he tapped on her intertwined hands, which rested on his chest.

"Uhh... Star?"

No reply.

He angled his head, only to find Starfire sleeping soundly as she locked onto him.

Letting out a deep breath, he whispered to himself as he melted. "She's so cute."

The peaceful expression of happiness on her features, her warmth, and the way she held on to him drove him to insanity.

Robin sat back down and reluctantly pried her hands apart to release himself from her grip. He then scooped her up into his arms, the way he pictured he would hold his bride on his wedding day, and hoped that the very girl he held would be the same one in his future.

"Robin..." she mumbled in her sleep, squirming in his arms. He could only smile, knowing she was dreaming of him.

"I'm here, Star." He reassured her, though he was aware that she wouldn't be able to hear him.

"I..." Listening intently, he held her closer. "Love you..."

Robin's heart raced faster than a Lamborghini, and once again, his palms began to perspire. He knew how he felt about her, but he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to say it out loud.

He soon found himself in her room, carrying her to the bed, then carefully setting her down. While gently shaking her shoulder, he woke her up. "Wake up, Beautiful. You should get changed before you turn in."

Starfire rubbed her eyes as she sat up, then looked at the Boy Wonder with quizzical eyes. "Robin?"

"Yes?"

"We are... in my room?"

"Yeah. You fell asleep on the way, which I'm still not sure how you managed to do," he chuckled. "So I brought you here."

"Thank you," she smiled as she got up to get changed out of her semi-damp clothes. "Please, will you remain here upon my return?"

Robin nodded as his cheeks flushed.

Coming back from her trip, she sat beside Robin on her bed.

She now wore a white t-shirt, a yellow R on the right-hand corner, and red basketball shorts. He was twiddling with his fingers when she realized the cuts on his knuckles. Gasping, she quickly took hold of his hands.

"Star? What are you-" His eyes widened as she kissed his knuckles lightly, then looked up at him.

"You are injured, so I did the kissing of them in the hopes of making it better."

Robin chortled in amusement as she released his hands and grinned at him sheepishly. He found it adorable, the way she always seemed to care so much about even the littlest things.

"It's okay, Star. Don't worry about it."

"I cannot."

"And why is that?"

"Because it is what I do best."

"Worrying?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, Robin. _Loving_ you."

Robin smiled fondly and gestured for her to lay down. He then tucked her in for the night as he kissed her on the cheek. Finding the courage in his heart, he responded to her declaration.

"I love you too, Star." She blushed as she smiled up at him. "Which is why," he continued, "I wanted to ask you something."

Eyeing him curiously, she wondered what was running through his mind as he shifted closer towards her. "What is it, Robin?"

She could see the love, compassion, and desire emanating from behind his shielded eyes. Slowly, he began to remove his mask. His deep, sapphire eyes gazed at her lovingly as he took hold of her hands.

In that moment, her heart stopped. He was _very_ handsome, and she was unable to understand why he would opt to hide his wonderful gifts behind a disguise. To her, they were the most amazing phenomena she had ever seen in her entire life.

It was as though she was looking right into the very heart of the vast ocean waters.

"Call me Richard. Richard Grayson."

"_Richard_..." she breathed his name reverently.

"Koriand'r is your true name, right?"

"Yes."

Richard inhaled a considerably heavy breath. "_Koriand'r,_ I've been meaning to ask you earlier, but..." he trailed off, nervousness overcoming his emotions.

Starfire gingerly squeezed his hands, prompting him to continue, and reassuring him that everything was going to be okay.

"Would you like to be my girlfriend?"


	9. Chapter 9

Starfire was grinning from ear to ear, a new level of glimmer in her veridian-colored eyes.

Seeing her reaction to his question made Robin pretty certain about what she would say next, so he was surprised when she voiced her reply.

"No, Richard."

He suddenly felt downright heartbroken. Did she really just _deny_ him? Even after they'd just admitted their love for one another? Robin was absolutely devastated. "Oh..."

She had rejected him, but he thought that she'd wanted this too, so her dismissal was like a slap in the face. And yet she was grinning widely, so he couldn't quite grasp the reason as to why she was still as happy as Tamaraneanly possible.

"I would _love_ to." She pulled him into a full embrace as she kissed him on the lips, and he soon understood why.

The Boy Wonder's heart began throbbing uncontrollably._ 'Finally!'_ he cheered in his thoughts as if he had just won the Super Bowl. His happiness was so great that he felt no pain when he discerned that she had him locked in one of her suffocatingly deadly hugs.

Soon, breathing became priority one. "Star-" he managed to choke out. "can't- breathe-"

Startled and unaware of what she had been doing to him, she released him from her involuntary death grip. "Oh, Richard! I apologize. Are you damaged?"

He chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "No, I'm alright."

Starfire smiled at him sheepishly, sitting criss cross in front of him and tucking her hands in her lap. Robin's features lit up as he remembered something.

It had been much too long since he'd taken it out. Years since he'd even given it any regard. "Wait here." He said as he snapped his fingers and got up to leave.

He was already out the door, and Starfire was left alone in her room. She wondered what it was that had caused him to be so animated. Her mind soon wandered back to their kiss in the parking lot.

"Hmm," she exhaled dreamily._ 'Glorious indeed,' _she thought to herself as she lifted her hands to her heart in an attempt to quell her increasing pulse.

"I'm back!" He announced as he sauntered back in and sat himself right next to her. In his cupped hands lay a shiny, rosewood ring box.

"What is that?" Examining it meticulously, Starfire leaned closer for a better look. Robin grinned broadly as he opened the box to reveal a beautiful, white gold promise ring with a single diamond imbedded in its smooth band.

She gasped, taken aback by its unfathomable beauty.

"Like it?" He asked. Removing it from its protective case and carefully twirling it with his thumb and index finger, he leveled it with his ocean-like eyes.

"It is beautiful," she breathed softly as she admired the piece of jewelry.

"Not as beautiful as you," Robin teased, grinning at her cheekily. "It doesn't even begin to compare."

"Oh hush, you." She playfully stuck her tongue out at him, and he gave her a quick peck on the nose.

His expression turned serious as he took hold of her right hand. Gulping audibly, he began his explanation. "This was my father's gift to my mother when they started dating many, many years ago. She gave it to me when I was younger, telling me that once I found the right girl, I should give it to her. And you know, I didn't understand her one bit! At first, I thought she was crazy. Love?" He scoffed. "Yeah, right. At the time that was the most hilarious thing she'd ever said to me."

"I see..." she murmured, woefully looking down to her folded hands.

"Guess what, Star." Robin placed a finger under her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes, which were glistening with adoration intended just for her, and nobody else.

"Yes?"

"It's you. You're that right girl my mother was talking about. You always have been, but I just didn't see it until recently." He then cupped her cheek and lovingly kissed her on the forehead. "I love you."

"Oh, Richard. I love you as well," she replied, tears developing in her eyes as she gazed at him.

He shushed her, placing his finger on her lips then wiping away her tears. When she was silent, he took her hand once again and softly massaged it. "I want you to wear this ring."

Starfire nodded and smiled at him sweetly, her lips slightly trembling. He then proceeded to slide his promise ring onto her ring finger, then kissed it lightly.

"The most beautiful woman in the entire galaxy, wait no-" he interrupted himself. "_Universe_, plus my mother's promise ring equals a _very_ happy Richard," he beamed at her, his teeth glistening and his eyes shimmering.

Giggling at his comment, she hugged him once more, but not the fatal type. It was actually quite nice. And warm. And very loving.

"Thank you, Richard." She smiled. "My love."

"Hm," he replayed her words in his mind. "I like the sound of that."

"As do I."

"Starfire, m'love." He experimented with that endearment, loving the adorable ring that came with it. "I like it."


End file.
